Men Behind Alberta Recycling Scam Argue Against Paying Full Fines

The two men behind one of Canada’s largest cases of recycling fraud are arguing that they shouldn’t have to pay most of the fines they face for transporting almost eight million cans into Alberta to illegally collect deposits.

Johnny Ha and Shawn Diep’s lawyer conceded at a hearing of Alberta’s Environmental Appeals Board on Tuesday that his clients didn’t run a simple operation. According to the Alberta government, the two men brought millions of recycled cans from Yukon into Alberta over a 13-month period, collecting nearly $1-million through their Edmonton-based company, Alberta Reclaim and Recycling.

In 2015, Alberta Environment levied $844,778 in fines and penalties on the two men and the company. It’s the largest penalty of its type issued by the Alberta government.